Filenews 31 March 2022
The re-evaluation and revision of the number of treatments offered through the GHS to chronic patients, was addressed today by the Health Committee of the Parliament, in order to solve the problem of inadequacy of sessions in speech therapies, physiotherapy, etc.
The issue concerns people with disabilities, people with autism, chronic patients, people with cerebral palsy, children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), who need treatments throughout their lives. The HIO will proceed to a review of the criteria by which treatments are provided in these cases and will be asked to inform the House of the results within a few weeks.
The President of the Committee and MEMBER of the DISY, Savia Orfanidou, said that the HIO had unfortunately proceeded to a decision, based on its own criteria, for an age approach to the severity of each disease.
The meeting, she said, was also attended by a student suffering from cerebral palsy, "which stressed to us how important it is to continue her treatment after 25 years", said Mrs. Orfanidou and underlined that through the services of the state, these children should be given the opportunity to receive treatment whenever they need it.
"It is clear the position of all colleagues, but also on the part of the HIO, that the whole process and the decision that has been taken must be re-evaluated, together with the committees that have been set up on these issues, such as the physiotherapy committee for children with cerebral paralyses," he added and assured that the Education Committee will bring the matter back for discussion within a few weeks, to show where the review of the HIO's decision has ended up.
"As DISY, we fully support this effort to support patients and children who really need it", concluded the MP.
DIKO MP Chrysanthos Savvides said in his statements that the HIO seems to have modified and reduced the physiotherapy services provided for children and adults with cerebral palsy. "This decision was taken without any consultation and no scientific data have been presented on which the decision was based," he added.
However, he acknowledged as a positive development the HIO's intention to reconsider this decision through its Advisory Scientific Committee and also the intention of the Federation of Cyprus Patients' Associations to participate in the HIO's Scientific Committees where they will be able to express their views on these issues.
The MP of DIPA, Michalis Giakoumi, in his statements on the issue, said that "the state has the obligation and must above all ensure and provide the best quality services in the health sector and especially to these people with disabilities, who daily give their own struggle for survival, for the maintenance of their health and their physical condition, at the best possible levels."
He added that, in addition to revising the number of treatments provided, a more holistic plan for the care of people with chronic diseases is also needed. "Having in mind the current situation and the current situation, we demand that a national strategic plan be formulated for the multidisciplinary, holistic management of chronic diseases," he concluded.
EDEK MP Andreas Apostolou said that the HIO should reconsider the inclusion of private occupational therapists in the GHS, the inclusion of counselling and school psychologists in the GHS (so far only clinical psychologists are included), the number of treatments provided to chronic patients, as well as the participation of a representative of chronic patients in the scientific groups that make the decisions.
He expressed his joy that the Health Committee highlighted the issue, as well as the HIO's positive response to the need to review the number of treatments offered. He noted that it was requested to make a comparison of the number of treatments covered before the ghs was created by public hospitals, in order to show the difference with the current data.
Concluding, he stressed that the GHS is particularly needed by patients with chronic diseases and added that since its creation has been achieved, it is time to discuss any distortions or weaknesses, so that it serves exactly those for whom it has been made.
CNA
